I've always thought that a person's taste in reading material can sometimes be a window into their soul.
It was surprising to me to learn that a reserved, pragmatic writer like Randy Jernigan had been drawn into the youthful fantasy world of of witchcraft and wizardry. When I posed the question, 'who are you a fan of?' his answer came quick.
"I'm a fan of anything by J K Rowling. There's something about her style that just sucks me right into the story--and I like that about a writer.
"I didn't start reading her Harry Potter series until after the fourth book, I think it was. I wasn't impressed by all the hype. Then when I picked up the first book and read the first paragraph, I was hooked. I think I've read all the books in the series and have now moved on to her mystery series. She's amazing," Randy exclaims.
Randy began his own writing career writing news at a local newspaper in his home town in Florida, then quickly moved into freelancing for several national magazines and even wrote copy for such television news shows as 20/20, 60 Minutes and American Journal. So his next favorite writer was no surprise.
"As far as news, I'm very impressed with Anderson Cooper. His book, 'Dispatches From The Edge' was a great read. I thought he told his story honestly, with power and I think it came from a place in his soul that was still raw. I was very impressed."
And if you follow Randy on any of his social media sites, you'll know that his favorite new fantasy fiction writer is 'The Vampire Game's' Les Bailey.
"I knew when Les first came and took a writing class from me years back, that he was going places. I could see the passion for his craft burning in his eyes.
"The man is an amazing storyteller and can construct a piece of fiction that comes to life in the mind of the reader. That's really what it's all about for a writer. I've read a lot of books in my time, but I'll admit, Les' 'Vampire Game' is ranked my number one."
Randy's latest book, 'The Life and Career of Marie Osmond' hit several best seller lists, His next book, 'Stars That Make A Difference: Ellen DeGeneres' is expected out sometime after the new year.
It was surprising to me to learn that a reserved, pragmatic writer like Randy Jernigan had been drawn into the youthful fantasy world of of witchcraft and wizardry. When I posed the question, 'who are you a fan of?' his answer came quick.
"I'm a fan of anything by J K Rowling. There's something about her style that just sucks me right into the story--and I like that about a writer.
"I didn't start reading her Harry Potter series until after the fourth book, I think it was. I wasn't impressed by all the hype. Then when I picked up the first book and read the first paragraph, I was hooked. I think I've read all the books in the series and have now moved on to her mystery series. She's amazing," Randy exclaims.
Randy began his own writing career writing news at a local newspaper in his home town in Florida, then quickly moved into freelancing for several national magazines and even wrote copy for such television news shows as 20/20, 60 Minutes and American Journal. So his next favorite writer was no surprise.
"As far as news, I'm very impressed with Anderson Cooper. His book, 'Dispatches From The Edge' was a great read. I thought he told his story honestly, with power and I think it came from a place in his soul that was still raw. I was very impressed."
And if you follow Randy on any of his social media sites, you'll know that his favorite new fantasy fiction writer is 'The Vampire Game's' Les Bailey.
"I knew when Les first came and took a writing class from me years back, that he was going places. I could see the passion for his craft burning in his eyes.
"The man is an amazing storyteller and can construct a piece of fiction that comes to life in the mind of the reader. That's really what it's all about for a writer. I've read a lot of books in my time, but I'll admit, Les' 'Vampire Game' is ranked my number one."
Randy's latest book, 'The Life and Career of Marie Osmond' hit several best seller lists, His next book, 'Stars That Make A Difference: Ellen DeGeneres' is expected out sometime after the new year.